Universal drill vise



March 30, 1943. L, H. DEUBLER, JR

UNIVERSAL DRILL VIVSE Filed May 17, 1941 ffive for B Louis fffiealer: Jr: J Kerb- W MI I S.

Patented Mar. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNIVERSAL DRILL VISE;

Louis H. Deubler, In, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 17, 1941, Serial No. 393,897 10 Claims. 77-62) the operation of adaptating the vise t0 the holding of a different size or shape of work piece.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved universal drill vise which is operable to exert extremely heavy clamping pressure on the work piece; and to provide an improved drill vise which can be made at relatively small cost.

Referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in longitudinal section, showing the vise in open position, with the drill bushing plate raised to clear the workpiece;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing a typical adaptor which is arranged to be releasably secured to the hollow base structure of the vise.

The main body of the vise consists of a hollow base structure 8 formed with an outwardly extending base flange 9 and an upwardly extending box-like portion iii. The latter is closed across the top by a work surface I i. Vertically extending guide bosses l2 project upwardly from the ends of the raised base portion i0, and hardenedsteel ground bushings H are secured in these bosses. Reciproeably mounted in these bushings are leader pins or guide pins l which mount the drill bushing plate i6, and serve to pull this plate down against the work-piece W, as will presently appear.

Extending horizontally through the hollow base portion it, directly below the top wall H, is an operating shaft i8. Said shaft comprises an in termediate eccentric portion or portions 19, and oppositely extending journal portions 20, 20' which project from the ends of the eccentric portion. In the preferred construction herein shown, the intermediate portion l9 and the two journal ends 20, 20 are machined from a single length of cylindrical stock, so that the finished shaft I8 is of very great strength. The journal ends 20, 20' are, of course, axially aligned, and the eccentricity of the intermediate portion IS with respect to these journal ends is preferably such that the outer circles of revolution of the intermediate portion and of the journal ends are tangent or intersect along one side surface of the shaft, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The Journal ends 20, 20' have bearing mounting in bearing bushings 22 which are removably seated in aligned bores 23 drilled out in the opposite end walls of the hollow base portion ill. The bearing bushings 22 may be formed with end flanges 22', for holding the bushings against displacement inwardly into the interior of the hollow base portion. As shown in Figure 3, the diameter of each bore 23 is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the eccentric portion ill of the shaft, so as to permit the assembly of the shaft through one of these bores before the bearing bushings are inserted therein. After the shaft has been inserted through one of these bores, the two bearing bushings 22 are then slipped endwise over the Journal ends 20 and 20', and are forced into properly seated position in the bores 23. Following this, the shaft is held against endwise shifting by mounting stop collars 25 over the journal ends 20, 20 against the outer sides of the bushings 22. These stop collars 25 are fixedly secured to the journal ends 20, 20' by set screws 26.

The Journal end 20 is made substantially longer than the opposite journal end, in order to mount an operating handle 28. The hub of this operating handle is fixedly secured to the Journal end 20' in any suitable manner, such as by a set screw, and the outer end of said handle is preferably provided with a ball formation 28' for facility of grasping. The handle 28 is preferably secured to the operating shaft IS in such relation that when the handle is upright the vise is open to a suificient extent to release the workpiece W, and when the handle is swung down through approximately degrees the vise is closed substantially to its maximum extent. It is also possible to swing the handle back to a rearward position, corresponding to degrees 01 throw of the handle and eccentric portion, if it is desired to open the vise to a greater extent.

Mounted on the eccentric portion l9, directly below the lead pins i5, are the eccentric follower collars 3|. These eccentric collars or straps 3! have a snug rotatable fit on the eccentric portion 19 so that they can rock or swivel thereon as they are carried upwardly or downwardly with the vertical throw of the eccentric portion. The upper portion of each follower collar is bifurcated or formed with upstanding ears, indicated at 32, which extend up into acavity 33 that is cored out in the base casting directly below the guide bushings l4. The lower end of the associated leader pin l has opposite surfaces splayed or flattened to form a pivotal tongue 35 extending down between the pivot ears 32. A pivot pin 36 passes transversely through the ears 32 and tongue 35. The follower collar 3| is retained against lateral displacement along the eccentric portion ill by a retainer screw 38 which threads into the bottom of the collar and ha its inner end engaging in an annular groove 39 formed within the eccentric portion IS. A lock nut 41 prevents accidental loosening of the retaining screw 38. This retainer arrangement enables the operating shaft i8 to be assembled ndwise through the follower collars 3| while the latter are in place and connected with the leader pins i5. After the operating shaft has been thus assembled in the base, the retainer screws 38 are inserted for holding the collars against lateral displacement along the operating shaft. It will be understood that the above described construction is duplicated at the other end of the device for the left hand leader pin IS.

The drill bushing plate I6 is intended to be representative of a series of drill bushing plates, all adapted for interchangeable mounting on the upper ends of the leader pins 15. To this end, each drill bushing plate is provided at its ends with holes 43 which fit down over the upper ends of the leader pins. These upper ends are each provided with a thread 44 for receiving upper and lower adjusting nuts 45 and 48 which function as stops for adjustably determining the height of the drill bushing plate with respect to the leader pins. The outer sides of the leader pins have flattened surfaces 41 against which bear adjusting screws 48. These screws can be employed to shift the drlllbushing plate 16 endwise a small distance in order to facilitate lining up the drill bushings of the plate with the desired points of drilling on the work-piece. This is accomplished by screwing up or backing away these two adjusting screws at the opposite ends of the plate, the holes 43 being sufficiently large to accommodate such slight adjustments. After making such adjustments the plate is locked up solid by the nuts 45 and 46.

Each drill bushing plate l8 carries one or more drill bushings appropriate to the particular drilling or reaming job with which that plate is associated. These bushings are typically represented by the shouldered bushing 5| and the plain bushing 52. In some instances, the bushings may have slip fit mounting in the plate i5 so as to permit ready substitution of different bushings having different size bores for different drills and reamers. Wherever the nature of the work permits, the drill bushings are positioned in proximity to the median line of the bushing plate (i. e., the longitudinal central line of the plate extending through the axes of the leader pins l 5), and the work-piece W is also so positioned that the point or points of maximum pressure engagement of the drill bushing plate therewith occur in proximity to this longitudinal median line. This minimizes any tilting or cocking of the drill bushing plate, and also any lateral binding of the leader pins in the guide bushings.

Mounted on the work surface II is an adaptor 55, which is intended to be representative of a series of adaptors appropriate to different jobs and all capable of interchangeable mounting on the work surface H. Each adaptor has a standardized pair of counterbored holes for receiving the anchoring screws 51. The lower ends of these screws thread into tapped bores 58 which are formed in the work surface H, both screw holes being preferably located along the longitudinal median line extending through the axes of the leader pins l5. Each adaptor 55 has any desired grouping or arrangement of positionin pins 6| projecting upwardly therefrom, for properly positioning the work-piece W with respect to the adaptor 55 and with respect to the drill bushings 5| and 52.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my improved drill vise is practically universal in its adaptability to different jobs. By simply replacing the drill bushing plate l5 and adaptor 55, the vise becomes, for all practical purposes. an entirely new fixture-ready for another job. Instead of carrying a large stock of complete and costly drilling fixtures on hand, it is only necessary to carry a stock of relatively inexpensive drill bushing plates I5 and adaptors 55. After the proper drill bushing plate and adaptor have been mounted in their operating positions, the vise is ready to handle an unlimited number of workpieces. It is only necessary to slip the workpiece into its Pro erly centered position against the positioning pins 6| on the adaptor 55, and to then swing the handle 28 downwardly. This brings the full mechanical advantage of the eccentric l9 and eccentric collars 3| into operation for drawing the drill bushing plate l6 downwardly gainst the work-piece with a very high clamping pressure. The angular relation between the operating handle 28 and the eccentric portion I9 is preferably such that when the handle has been thrown to its full clamping position, the eccentric I9 is not quite down in a full dead center position, but is still two or three degrees short of dead center so that pressure on the handle continues to exert clamping pressure on the work piece.

While I have illustrated and described what I regard to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, nevertheless it will beunderstood that such is merely exemplary and that numerous modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a universal drill jig, the combination of a hollow base structure having two upwardly extending guide bosses formed adjacent the ends thereof, leader pins having vertical sliding movement within said guide bosses, an operating shaft mounted horizontally within said hollow base structure, an operating handle mounted on one end of said shaft, eccentric means on said shaft, eccentric follower collars encircling said eccentric means below said guide bosses, pivot pins pivotally connecting said follower collars with the lower ends of said leader pins, threads on the upper ends of said leader pins, a drill bushing plate litting down over the threaded end of said leader pins, adjusting nuts engaging over said threads above and below said plate to adjust the latter vertically relatively to said leader pins, a guide bushing carried by said plate to guide a drill, reamer or the like passing down through said plate. an adaptor for locating the work-piece in properly centered relation to said guide bushing. and screws for detachably securing said'adaptor to said base substantially between said guide bosses.

2. In a universal drill vise, the combination of a base, an operating shaft carried by said base, an operating handle for operating said shaft, eccentric means carried by said shaft, a pair of eccen tric follower collars engaging over said eccentric means, reciprocable leader pins guided in said base and pivotally connected with said follower collars, a drill bushing plate carried by said leader pins and adapted to be moved downwardly into clamping engagement with the work-piece, adjusting screw means carried by said drill bushing plate for adjusting the lateral position of said plate. and an adaptor on said base between said leader pins for positioning the work-piece beneath said drill bushing plate.

3. In a drill vise, the combination of a supporting base, a movable clamping member cooperating therewith to hold the work, an operating shaft rotatably supported by said base, a handle for rotating said shaft, said shaft comprising an eccentric portion and journal ends extending therefrom, said journal ends having bearing support in said base, eccentric followers engaging with said eccentric portion of the shaft, and mechanism operatively connecting said followers with said movable clamping member comprising adjusting means for adjusting said clamping member horizontally relatively to said supporting base.

4. In a drill vise, the combination of a supporting base, a movable clamping member cooperating therewith to hold the work, an operating shaft rotatabiy supported by said base. a handle for oscillating said shaft, said shaft comprising an eccentric intermediate portion and journal ends integral therewith and extending from the ends thereof, bearings carried by said supporting base for mounting said journal ends, eccentric follower collars surrounding said eccentric portion of the operating shaft, axially re ciprocable pins connected between said follower collars and said movable clamping member and acting in tension to transmit clamping pressure to said clamping member, and an adjusting screw carried by said movable clamping member and adapted to cooperate with one of said axially reciprocable pins for horizontally shifting said moving base.

5. In a drill vise, the combination of a supporting base, a movable clamping member operating therewith to hold the work, an operating shaft rotatably supported by said base, a handle for rotating said shaft, said shaft comprising eccentric means, eccentric follower collars surrounding said eccentric means and'operatively connected with said movable clamping member, and retaining means for retaining said collars against lateral displacement relatively to said eccentric means, said retaining means comprising grooves in said shaft and retaining screws carried by said collars and engaging in said grooves.

6. In a drill vise, the combination of a supporting base, a movable clamping member adapted to be drawn toward said base to clamp the work therebetween, an operating shaft rotatably supported by said base, a handle connected therewith for oscillating said' shaft, said shaft comprising an eccentric intermediate portion and journal ends extending therefrom, said journal ends having bearing support in said base, eccentric follower collars surrounding said eccentric portion of the shaft, axially reciprocable pins operatively connected between said follower collars and said movable clamping member, and retainer means for retaining said follower collars in lateral displacement along said eccentric portion, said retainer means comprising annular grooves formed in said eccentric portion and retainer screwsmounted in said collars and engaging in said grooves.

7. In a drill vise, the combination of a sup- I portingbase, a movable clamping member cooperating therewith to hold the work, an operating shaft rotatably supported by said base, a handle for rotating said shaft, said shaft com prising an eccentric portion and journal ends extending therefrom, said journal ends having bearing support in said base, eccentric followers engaging with the eccentric portion of said shaft, leader pins guided for reciprocating motion in said base and operatively connected with said eccentric followers, threads on said leader pins, nuts engaging over said threads for adjustably mounting said movable clamping member on said leader pins, screw means carried by said movable clamping member and adapted to engage one of said leader pins for adjusting said clamping member horizontally relatively to said leader pins, and an adapter detachably mounted on said supporting base substantially between said leader pins for locating the work in proper relation to said movable clamping member.

8. In a drill vise, the combination of a supporting base/a drill bushing plate adapted to be drawn toward said base to clamp the work therebetween, an operating shaft mounted in said base, a handle connected therewith for oscillating said shaft, said shaft comprising eccentric means, collars engaging over said eccentric means, leader pins mounted in said base for reciprocatory movement and connected with said collars, a thread on the outer end of each leader pin, said threaded ends extending through apertures in said drill bushing plate, nuts screwing over said threaded ends and forming adjustable stops for engaging said drill bushing plate, and adjusting screws carried by said drill bushing plate and engaging said leader pins for effecting horizontal shifting movement of said plate relatively to said pins.

9. In a drill vise of the class described, the combination of a supporting base, an adapter removably mounted on said base, a drill bushing plate arranged to be drawn toward said adaptor to clamp the work therebetween, an operating shaft mounted in said base, a handle connected therewith for oscillating said shaft, a pair of substantially vertical guide bosses formed in said base, leader pins mounted for sliding movement in said guide bosses, means operative upon the oscillation of said shaft to exert a downward pull on said leader pins, and adjusting means for effecting horizontal shifting adjustment of said drill bushing plate on said leader pins.

10. In a universal drill vise, the combination of a hollow base structure having twoupwardly extending guide bosses formed adjacent the ends thereof. an adaptor removably mounted on said base structure between said guide bosses, screws for releasably securing said adaptor to said base structure, a drill bushing plate arranged to be drawn toward said adaptor to clamp the work therebetween, said adaptor having registration stops for positioning the work-piece with respect v to said drill bushing plate, an operating shaft mounted horizontally within said hollow base structure, an operating handle mounted on one end of said shaft for oscillating the latter, eccentric means on said shaft, eccentric follower collars encircling said eccentric means below said guide bosses, leader pins having vertical sliding movement within said guide bosses, pivots connectlng said follower collars with the lower ends of said leader pins, threads on the upper ends of 1 

